1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for dispersing liquids in the form of rainwater runoff from roofs of houses or buildings, or water droplets as used in cooling towers. A unique relatively rigid thin perforated plate having a plurality of closely spaced minute openings in the form of a fine mesh reduces the size of liquid droplets and disperses the liquid through the openings while preventing agglomeration of larger volumes. Use of the perforated plate eliminates the usual gutter and leader structures which remove rainwater flow or can replace internal fill in cooling towers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,939,616 to Schapker concerns a rainwater run-off disperser structure comprising deflector plates extending laterally at a small downward angle from a side wall of the building below the roof edge in the path of falling water. The deflector plates include a plurality of small openings with associated deflecting surfaces at larger downward angles which direct the rain water outwardly and downwardly from the roof. Larger streams of rainwater are dispersed into separate sprays to avoid direct run off without the use of gutters.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,577 to Stalter is directed to a roof drain system employing a housing extending along the lower edge of a roof and having a multiplicity of small openings through which water can be dispersed. The housing forms an elongated air duct with high pressure air supplied by a motor driven blower to cause jets of air that force droplets of water through the openings to disperse the water over a large area. The usual water troughs and downspouts are eliminated.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,424 to Madfis utilizes angled deflector plates extending along and below the edge of the roof. The plates include a plurality of vertical baffles having spaced protrusions which impede and uniformly distribute the heavy flows of rainwater to disperse the rain in a random pattern of small droplets. The use of gutters is avoided.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,488 to Burns discloses a rain disperser system utilizing a plurality of parallel angled deflector plates supported on a base plate extending around the perimeter of the roof. Spacer elements hold the deflector plates in a desired position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,195, No. 5,261,196 and No. 5,579,611 to Buckenmaier et al disclose several variations of roof water dispersal systems utilizing deflector plates of different configurations running along a support structure around and below the perimeter of the roof. Desired angular orientations of louvers and slats are maintained by cross-member spacers.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,128,865 to Din relates to a fine mesh screen mounted along a wall in the path of a flow of liquid to divide and split larger size liquid drops into much smaller droplets which are dispersed without agglomeration. A support structure holds the mesh screen in the path of rainwater below the edge of a roof to direct the droplets outwardly without the use of gutters or leaders.
While various forms of water droplet dispersing devices have been shown, these generally employ relatively complex structures which are less efficient in dispersing the liquid.